Iraqi Kurds head to polls

Polls opened Saturday in the presidential and parliamentary elections in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, an official with the regional government told CNN.

Around 2.5 million eligible voters in the Kurdish region's three northern provinces of Irbil, Dahuk and Sulaimaniya would choose his own 111-seat Parliament and the next president.

Nechirvan barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdish regional government, voted with his wife when the polls opened at 8 am (1 am ET), the official said.

Since 2005, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has maintained a safe area that is largely free of violence seen in other parts of Iraq. But the lack of transparent governance, corruption, problems with providing basic services and political rivalries continue to plague the KRG.

A transparent and fair elections, accepted as legitimate by the voters, would be a step towards democracy and reform in Iraq and the region.

"We hope that these elections will be a step forward that will help to resolve disputes with Baghdad," said KRG President Masoud Barazani who had a news conference after he voted in Irbil.
Nuria Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki congratulated the Kurdish population of their choice in a speech delivered in Washington and broadcast on Iraqi state television.

"It is necessary that the Kurdish people will go and vote, and make this day a lot of attention," he said. "It is also necessary that the election will be honest and transparent, and good choice to be a result of this process."

Al-Maliki said that the election will contribute to a "big" to solve the problems in the region, and working with all the legacy issues that we have received from the previous regime.
The Parliament Kurdistan-Iraq (KP-I) is a democratically elected parliament, which regulates the three KRG provinces. The region is run semi-autonomously from the Republic of Iraq's central government, and give the KP-I the right to change any law that fall outside the federal government's exclusive jurisdiction.

When sworn in members of the KP-I chose the region confirm the Kurdistan prime minister and cabinet.

The selection is based on a proportional representation which requires voters to choose a party list of candidates instead of a specific person.

Of 111 seats in parliament, 11 are devoted to minorities, which includes a mandatory five Turkmen five Christians and one Armenian.

Source: CNN.com